The Impossible Dream
by Da Games Elite
Summary: A story of three young trainers in the Kanto Region setting off on their journies, one angelic, one a good-hearted tomboy, and one an obnoxiously confident moron. Their dreams are large, but is it possible for all, if any, of them to reach their goals?
1. Chapter 1: Pallet Town

I was looking over some of my older stuff, and found, to my extreme pleasure, some old magazines from the 90's, specifically magazines about Pokemon, the first real anime series I ever got into. Although it's been years since I stopped watching new episodes of Pokemon, the series, specifically the Kanto region, always held a dear place in my heart. So, as a tribute to the series that first made me an anime fan, I've decided to start a little fanfiction following the adventures of three really different trainers setting off on their Pokemon journey. Now, I know that sounds clichéd, but I feel that anyone, so long as they're a good writer, can make a clichéd idea appealing. To people reading my other two fanfictions, The Other Daughter of Serenity (a Sailor Moon fanfic) and An Angel Doesn't Belong in a Fruits Basket (an Evangelion/Fruits Basket crossover), rest assured they will be going ahead as according to plan. I just want to add this third fic to my resovoir, especially considering TODOS is almost finished. ^_^

One brief tidbit of information before you start reading: this takes place in the world of Kanto, and will only feature the original 151 little critters unless I choose otherwise. The reason for this is that I really stopped watching Pokemon at the end of Johto because the series was really carrying on way too much with lots of useless filler, but the original Kanto series had precious little filler, and the filler that it did have was fresh and original. I just love the original saga a thousand times more, and believe that Red and Blue were two of the hardest Pokemon games ever, so there you go.

So, enough explaining! Time to get on with that story you came here to read. Please Read and Review! I love to hear reviews, especially extremely critical ones so I know what to improve upon. ^_^ Enjoy.

**The Impossible Dream**

**Part 1**

8:00 AM was the time the gates opened. 8:00 AM was when the passage of time would be steered ever so slightly in a new direction. 8:00 was when destinies and dreams would be shaped. 8:00 AM was when dreams would see their genesis, and be lead down the road to their utter annihilation. It was at 8:00 AM that Professor Oak opened the doors to his little facility, and allowed the children of Pallet, the new generation, to accept their starter Pokemon.

It was a tradition he held in high regard, an action he performed every year, on the dot. Every so often, a person would come late, and he'd have to use one of his emergency Pokemon to keep the child from bursting into tears. It was this problem, that children would cry when he had to reject him, that drove the dear professor to raise the age from 10 to 14 after the rather troubling incidents involving his grandson and his rival, Red, in the face of Team Rocket. Thankfully, that organization had since disbanded, and there were rumors that, even now, in Johto, the remaining members of that dreadful gang were being rounded up and taken care of by a group of children. Although it did the good professor proud to see his own disciples eliminating international crime rings, their parents were less than pleased at the prospect of sending their little children off into the world filled with baddies wishing them irreparable harm, so he decided to try to wait a little longer before sending little children who had yet to go through puberty into the cold world to fend for themselves.

Usually, after opening the gates, it took several minutes before any of the children actually arrived. However, to his astonishment, he found a rather innocent looking girl, her hands rubbing along her shapely legs to warm them up in the cold beyond the professor's threshold, wearing a rather adorable sky blue fur jacket over her slender, mature frame, and innocent blue jeans over her shapely legs that would be the envy of any grown woman, her gentle, heart shaped face aimed toward the good Professor with those sweet pools of azure set dead center on her angelic face. "Oh dear," Professor Oak stammered, stepping back a few feet to allow the girl passage into the facility, "I didn't expect you to arrive here so soon, Mary."

Mary smiled, innocently, as she said, proudly in her soft, high voice, "I arrived here ten minutes early to make sure I was first in line."

"Very proactive and mature of you, Mary."

"Thanks, I knew you'd say that." Mary took a few steps forward into the rather sloppily prepared lab. The Professor noted that Mary glanced over at the stacks of disorganized graphs and charts, closing her eyes momentarily in disgust, before twirling around on her toes, a broad smile on her lips, as she asked, in that same sweet tone, "May I ask for one of the Pokemon? I've been waiting so long for this day to come, you know."

"That I do," Professor Oak replied, smiling.

"Would it be impolite to just ask for what I want right now? I've wanted this baby for a long time, and I know exactly what to chose." The Professor wasn't sure whether or not Mary regarded the Pokemon as a pet, as an adopted child, or perhaps as a new dress that had just arrived in the outlet fashion store. After the Professor assured her that her future actions would be, in no way, considered in polite, Mary came to the point, never once breaking that innocent tone of hers, never once unfolding her hands behind her back. "If I may, would it be alright if I chose Squirtle?"

"That's a fine decision." Mary approached the table standing only five meters away, curling her fingers around the Poke-ball with a water droplet imprinted on the front. With a glint of longing in her eye, she pressed the button along the ball's equator, summoning a surge of light, releasing the adorable little pale blue turtle from its spherical confinement.

"Squirt!" the animal cooed, staring up at its lovely master. The Squirtle dove into her bosom, stroking its cheek against her collar bone, devoted. Mary stroked the back of its head with her finger, a small smile crawling up her lips, though it was hard to really know just what she was smiling about.

"It's adorable."

"I'm glad you like it. Now, here is your Pokedex. Thanks to Red and Blue, it's been completed, but I think it will still be a good idea to take it with you on your journey." Professor Oak withdrew the red miniature computer, which Mary eyed with a less than enthusiastic expression.

"Thanks very much," Mary replied, accepting the machine, pocketing it, surely never to withdraw it again, "By the way, would it be possible for you to give me some Poke-balls? I hear Route 01 is filled with wild Pokemon."

"I would love to, but those balls cost money. Don't worry, I'm sure once you arrive at Viridian City you can purchase some, especially if you beat some of the trainers located there."

Mary's face fell. "But, Professor, would it be really that big of a deal? I mean, just one little ball?"

"I'm sorry, Mary, but those are the rules. Don't worry; I hear your family is well off. You should be able to afford plenty of balls, and besides, the Pokemon on Route 01 are not worth capturing."

Slightly crestfallen, Mary replied, reclaiming some of her lost charm. "That's perfectly fine. Thanks a lot, Professor."

"You're quite welcome. Good luck."

Professor Oak waited an additional ten minutes for the next trainer to arrive. This Asian girl was the complete opposite of the walking Goddess Mary. This girl was a little pudgy, not fat, but just a tad overweight. Although she still was a rather pretty girl, she wasn't quite flawless like Mary. Her short locks of hair fell along her shoulders as she approached Professor Oak, wearing jeans and an ordinary hooded sweatshirt, her arms at her side, a cheerful expression on her face.

"Hello there, Yumi," Professor Oak replied, smiling in amusement.

"Hey," Yumi replied, waving goofily, her lips curled in a broad, toothy grin, "Good to see you, Professor."

"Good to see you too. Might I assume you're hear for—"

"No, I walked here because it's good for my health."

"Well, in that case, I suppose I won't need to give you one of these—"

"Professor, I'm being sarcastic."

"Oh," Professor Oak replied, mildly amused. Sarcasm was a trait, despite all the books he had read and all the sights he had seen, that he'd never truly come to grasp completely. Regardless, he camouflaged his moment of ignorance with a laugh of confidence. "I know that, Yumi. Of course you'd never just walk here to—"

"Can I have a Squirtle?" Yumi asked.

"Come again?"

"A Squirtle," Yumi repeated, "Just like my big brother got a few years back, you know? He had a Squirtle, and it was so cute I knew it was what I wanted ever since I was a little kid. You do have a Squirtle, don't you?"

"I'm afraid I already gave one to Mary," Professor Oak replied, frowning slightly.

"Mary was here already?" stammered Yumi, her fists clenched.

"The moment we opened up, I'm afraid," Professor Oak replied, "Perhaps you could learn from her example and be a little more on time."

"She took that Squirtle because I wanted it," Yumi muttered.

"I'm sure she wouldn't do something as selfish as that, but don't worry, we have two other Pokemon here for you to choose from."

Yumi considered this, gazing at the two balls ahead of her, weighing her options. After a few moments of thinking, she asked, anxiously, "Is it possible to capture a Squirtle in the wild?"

"It's extremely rare, but not unheard of. Most of these three Pokemon are bred, but I'm sure countless trainers are willing to set up a trade."

"Alright, I'll take Charmander, then," Yumi replied, approaching the table, withdrawing a Poke-ball imprinted with a red hot ball of flame.

"Wise decision," Professor Oak replied, "That's just what my grandson chose, you know."

"Blue?" Yumi asked, "What gym is he in charge of, again?"

"Viridian, but it's probably best for you to try facing him much later on, like after you've collected the other 7 badges."

"Is he that tough?" Yumi asked, curiously.

"Oh, he's one of the best," the Professor replied, smiling, "Why, he's probably second only to Red himself."

"Well, I'm sure he can't be that good, can he?"

"Well, he usually uses his weaker Pokemon against trainers trying to face the Elite Four, but he is formidable to say the least even with his weaker members of his team."

"He's pretty hot," Yumi confessed, blushing deep red, "Actually, he's just delicious." Professor Oak felt his body begin to overheat as he stared in shock at the girl before him as she began to blush, her knees almost giving way to her weight as she dreamed of Blue's face. Professor Oak was saved from having to endure this sight for much longer by the welcomed proclamation of the third trainer's arrival.

"Hey! I'm here!"

Yumi glanced up, an expression of disdain on her face. "Oh God, who invited him to come here?"

The boy who entered the room was dressed in a long, flowing trench coat, the collar raised up, angled to give him the appearance of a rather formidable opponent. In actuality, it only made the boy, emphasis on boy as opposed to teenager or man, look rather goofy. His eyes, one shaded blue and the other green, stared up at the Professor, a determined look in those two pools, his messy orange hair pointing this way and that. Pointing toward the Professor, he asked, proudly, in a voice that clearly had yet to be affected by puberty, "I'm here for the Pokemon!"

"Oh great! Professor, I know you're obliged to give him that Bulbasaur, but are you sure you aren't just going to send that idiot to his death by letting him go out on a journey? I mean, I doubt he can even make food to survive."

"Yumi? What're you doing here? I thought only guys could be trainers," the boy stammered, his forced dramatic pose broken as he stared in awe at Yumi.

"Oh, is that right, Tony? Well, whatever happened to equal rights amongst the sexes, huh?"

"What?"

"You know, they're plenty of female trainers. Half of the Elite Four are female!"

"The what?"

"Don't you know anything?! Stupid idiot!"

"Kids! Break it up," Professor Oak stammered, coming between the two.

"Well, she started it," Tony stammered, defensively.

"I so did not! You started it by being an idiot!"

"Fatso!"

"Baby!"

"Thunder thighs!"

"Smallus Dickus!"

"Smallus what?"

"You're so stupid you can't even understand my insults! Moron!"

"Now, break it up, kids! I will not have a battle in my—"

"A battle! That's what we'll do!" Tony laughed, "Alright, Yumi, let's see who really is the best!"

"I know I am, but if it means that much to you, okay," shrugged Yumi, "There's only one pokemon left, Tony. Why don't you go grab it."

"You bet I will! Professor, toss it over to me!"

"You're in no position to make demands," Professor Oak mumbled, grudgingly, as he approached the table in the center of his room. As he curled his fingers around the solitary ball on his table, a ball with a leaf imprinted on its surface, he asked himself how wise of an idea it really was to allow two children with a history of rivalry to unleash hell upon each other with two creatures strong enough to level a building. As he turned to the two children, he shouted as he threw the ball into Tony's outstretched hands, "Take this outside, alright?"

The two children complied, and left the facility, fire burning in their eyes. The two young trainers stared each other down for a moment before summoning their little critters, the lizard-like, scarlet Charmander facing the also reptilian Bulbasaur, the bud on his back leafy green. The two creatures stared at one another, just as competitive as their trainers. They were trained to obey, trained to fight, trained to follow their Master's orders without a moment's hesitation.

"Okay, flamethrower!" Yumi shouted, passionately. A moment passed, maybe two, only for Charmander to turn toward her master, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm afraid Charmander doesn't know how to use that attack just yet," Professor Oak observed, solemnly.

"Wait, what?"

"Tackle it, Bulbasaur!" Tony shouted, forcefully. The reptilian plant creature dove toward Charmander, shoving its weight against it. It knocked Charmander into the floor before the Bulbasaur landed nimbly on its feet, turning back to its opposition, ready to attack again.

"Damn! Scratch its eyes out!" Yumi shrieked. Charmander pushed itself up, evading a second tackle, only to drive its claws across the side of the Bulbasaur's body as it sprinted past Charmander. Tony's eyes widened as his newfound Pokemon stumbled forward, its side scarlet, scratched up, as expected.

"Get up and beat Yumi up!" Tony shrieked. Bulbasaur pushed himself up, weakly, glaring directly at, not the enemy Charmander, but rather at Yumi.

"Uh, Tony?"

"Tackle her!" The Bulbasaur obeyed his master's orders by sprinting toward Yumi, and flying at her shins. Before Yumi could even react, her Charmander darted between her master and the Bulbasaur, his mouth wide open as a burst of flames flew at the assailant. He was consumed with fire as the poor Pokemon hit with the attack shrieked in pain, falling to the wayside as it rolled over the dirt, putting the flames out underneath its weight. Even after the embers died away, the smoldering flesh was still left red hot and charred. Tears sprang to the poor animal's eyes as it glared at Charmander, unjustly furious.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you stupid bastard?!" Yumi snapped, "You're lucky you didn't break my legs."

"I didn't order it to attack you, per say," Tony grumbled.

"That was thoroughly irresponsible, Tony! You're lucky your mother donates so much to my research, otherwise—"

Charmander's shrieks of pain interrupted everyone. To their astonishment, everyone turned to see Bulbasaur on top of the poor Charmander as it pounded the poor creature with its front paws, beating it senseless before Charmander kicked the creature away. It landed on its burned side, shrieked in pain, and then fell silent. Professor Oak approached the Bulbasaur, only to see its eyes spiraling around under its eyelids. "It's fainted."

"Yeah! I won!" Yumi cheered.

"This is only the beginning!" Tony shouted, confidently.

"Well, for Yumi it is. For you, Tony, you'll need to wait until we revive your Bulbasaur, and maybe you'll need to wait a little loner after I teach you proper ethics."


	2. Chapter 2: Route 01 and Viridian City

**Part 2**

Mary glanced disappointed at the third Rattata that morning, lazily calling her Squirtle out from his ball. The eager Pokemon glanced at the Rattata, then back at Mary, a devoted expression in his eye, before lunging at the fiend. Despite its long teeth biting into his hide, he ignored the no doubt excruciating pain, focusing instead on grabbing the enemy by its massive whiskers, squeezing them, before throwing the creature into the dirt. The little rodent rose to its feet, but not before her Squirtle tackled the poor little rat, knocking it into the air, letting it fall a dozen yards away in the high grass, powerless.

As Mary recalled Squirtle back into his ball, she smiled, graciously, as she appreciated the expression of pride on the little critter's face. As she glanced at the ball in her hand, tossing it high into the air before letting the full weight of the ball slam against her palm, she acknowledged that she really wish she had chosen that Bulbasaur instead. This Squirtle really was just a way of spiting that fat brat Yumi.

As Mary walked down in the lane surrounded by grass, she acknowledged that, right now, Yumi was probably right behind her, starting off on Route 01, no doubt being bogged down by Rattata and Pidgeys. She was such an annoying girl, she was. When they were younger, she'd enjoy following Mary around. That was, of course, before her brother left to become a Pokemon trainer, and, while he did stop in from time to time, he essentially remained out in the wilderness, trying to be a Master.

It was a stupid goal.

And ever since her big brother returned with that Squirtle, she had always said she wanted a Squirtle. When she was 9, she was so excited about holding that little water turtle in her hand that when Professor Oak moved the minimum age to accept Pokemon from him from 10 to 14, the little Yumi started to cry. Mary, on the other hand, started to laugh. Why she laughed, even Mary, to this day, didn't know. Was she cruel? Was she being wicked? Perhaps, but despite all that, Mary knew she wasn't a bad person. She just wanted Yumi to stop being so annoying.

And if it took beating that little bitch at everything she did, then she'd do it.

There, ahead of her, was Viridian City. She had heard that a rather powerful trainer was in charge of the Gym, Blue. A legend in Pallet. Yumi's idol. Perhaps it was best to confront him at the beginning of her journey, early on, if only to dishearten poor Yumi. She walked through the threshold of the pool, and, with a smile on her lips, glanced over at the mass of people surrounding her on all sides. In Pallet Town, the population was not so large. She had been to Viridian, and even Celadon City with her mother for shopping, but, for the majority of her life, she had remained in isolated little Pallet, thus, while not entirely blown away by the mass of people around her, she finally could appreciate just how small she really was, all these people walking past her, not noticing her, save for a few perverted guys looking at her angelic frame.

She approached the nearest Pokemon Center she could find, walking into a rather brightly lit room with lots of comfortable lamps along the side. A large, plump Chancey walked down the isle alongside the front desk, carting a stretcher filled with Pokeballs, no doubt for serious emergencies. The nurse at the desk, a pink haired girl with two hoop-like buns on the side of her head, smiled cheerfully. "Hello there. Are you one of the new trainers from Pallet."

"Yes, that I am," Mary answered in a cheery voice, "I've just come from Route 01, and my Squirtle is really exhausted."

"I see. It isn't serious, is it?"

"Not in the least."

"Well then, it should take a few minutes to heal your little Squirtle." The nurse accepted the Poke-Ball containing the little starter Pokemon. She turned around, and placed it on a machine that strongly resembled a kitchen stove. After placing it on a round indentation on the surface of that mechanism, the nurse asked, curiously, "So, are you heading up towards Pewter City to face Brock?"

"No, actually, I was planning on facing Blue," Mary replied, smiling.

The nurse began to giggle at the sound of this. Mary blushed deep red as the nurse turned toward her, a look of amusement in her eyes. "You can't be serious."

She felt irate at the sound of that declaration. Can't be serious? And why wouldn't she be serious? Mary clenched her fists under the counter in aggravation as she replied, turning slightly red but still maintaining that innocent voice that seemed ideal for convincing people she was a delicate little angel, "Why is that? Is he hard?"

"Well, this Squirtle isn't experienced enough to face Blue. It would be like stopping an electric train with a newborn baby."

Suppressing the ghastly images that sprang to her mind, Mary asked, cautiously, "Well, maybe I'd be the exception."

"I wouldn't count on it," the nurse replied, her expression of amusement starting to die away, "I doubt you'd even be able to last five seconds against him, or even one of his disciples."

"What do you recommend I do?" Mary asked as a chime rang out through the air.

The nurse turned toward the stove-like machine, withdrawing Squirtle's sphere as she said, smiling gently, "Capture more Pokemon. Buy some Poke-balls, antidotes, potions, all those rather useful necessities of the trainer."

She was going to do that regardless, but she smiled regardless, graciously. "Well, I suppose maybe it's a better idea to get a few more Pokemon before I go to the top." Mary knew the nurse was right. She didn't stand a chance against Blue. She'd just wait a little longer, collect a few more Pokemon, and then crush Yumi's dreams. It would happen, and there really wasn't much in her way of reaching her objectives. Catch a few Pokemon, and it'll all be over shortly.

#

200 for a Pokeball.

1000 for 5.

Yumi handed the clerk the money as she collected the five balls she needed, holding each one between her knuckles, gazing lovingly at the sheen on their red and white surfaces. She buckled each ball on the side of her pants, ignoring the feeling of her love handles brushing against the back of her hands. She was sure all this exercise, all the walking, she was about to undergo as a side-effect of her travels would probably eliminate the majority of her baby fat, but the knowledge that, as of now, that bitch Mary and that moron Tony could still call her chubby didn't leave her with much self-esteem.

As she left the store, leaning against the wall of the building, resting her head against its smooth exterior, she glanced at the ball that contained her Charmander, lovingly. That poor little guy had fought several enemies on Route 01, from Rattata to Pidgeys. Thankfully for her, her brother had left several potions behind for her, so she was able to avoid going to the Pokemon Center for now. She gazed up at the sun as she reflected that, at this very moment, her idol, Blue, was here, staying in a building only a few blocks away, beyond her reach for now. Give it a week, give it a month, maybe a few months, of traveling. That's all she'd need to reach the zenith of her abilities, to reach Blue, to beat him.

And her elder brother was out there, smiling down at her, ready to help her baby sister at a moment's notice. Sure, she really didn't need help, but, right now, the idea of some guardian angel, a force beyond her reach that was willing to lend a hand. She wondered where her brother was right now. He was probably in a battle right now, proving his superiority to everyone else, dominating the competition!

"Yumi?"

At the sound of her name, Yumi glanced over to see Mary, a look of awe on her face. Yumi wanted to smack that bitch across the face. She had taken Squirtle, she had taken the one Pokemon she wanted more than any other, before she could hold that sweet, innocent creature in her hands. Her baby! Kidnapped! Well, she was above fighting right now. She didn't need to attack Mary. She had already found herself unnecessarily battling that idiot Tony, so it was not the brightest idea to just battle here, in the middle of a populated town.

"You're in Viridian this quickly?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Funny, isn't it?"

"Indeed. What Pokemon did you get?"

"Charmander."

"Funny, I thought you always wanted a Squirtle," replied Mary, spinning her only Poke-Ball on the tip of her index finger.

"Yeah, I know, but, wouldn't you know it, some spoiled bitch stole it before I could get there. Sucks, right?"

Mary's smug grin fell as she grumbled, "Well, at least I'm not an annoying fat brat."

Yumi clenched her fists in fury as she snarled, angrily, "Yeah, well, at least I know how to survive in the wilderness, my Princess. I mean, have you ever gone camping in Viridian Forest? Well, I went with my brother there, and it was amazing!"

"Did you eat some of the berries in Viridian Forest? Maybe a few too many, as far as I can tell." Mary giggled to herself as Yumi blushed deep red, self-consciously placing a hand on her rounded belly.

"Oh, what do you know, anyway?" snapped Yumi as she folded her hands over her breasts, "No point arguing with you, anyway. You'll probably be found dead in an alleyway or something like that after spending one week in the wild."

"The wild? It's the Viridian Forest, not Seafoam Island," laughed Mary.

"Never underestimate your surroundings, Mary. You never know what lies beyond the next tree."

"Ah well, want to make a bet?" Mary asked, smiling.

"What kind of bet?" Yumi asked, becoming aware of just how light her wallet had become after purchasing those Poke-balls.

"Whoever beats Blue first wins $100,000," Mary replied, grinning.

"Wait, what?" stammered Yumi, "I never had that much money in my life! Hell, I'm sure you got it as a little baby, but I've never even seen that much money."

"Well, if I'm as doomed as you say I am, then it shouldn't be that big of a deal, right?" Mary replied, smiling.

Yumi considered this. Mary didn't stand a chance. She was weak, pampered, a two-faced princess. This precious little angel couldn't last five days in the real world. A confident grin on her face, Yumi agreed to the terms. "Alright, you're on. Just make sure you make that check out to Miss Yumi Toriyama, thank you very much."

"Confident, are we?" laughed Mary.

"Yeah, maybe a little," replied Yumi, "See you at the Indigo Plateau."

#

"Ah!!! They're already ahead of me!"

Tony sprinted through the high grass, damning Professor Oak with every fiber of his being. Curse that stupid old man, giving him a lecture about ethics after healing his Bulbasaur. Of course Tony knew it was a bad idea to just sent his new Pokemon to beat up a human. So what? Sure, it wasn't ethical, but it sure as hell was fun. And, after all, Tony and Yumi knew each other for years. A little scuffle between friends was perfectly acceptable. He didn't get why everyone was making such a big deal about it, even his mom.

The others were probably in the Viridian Forest by now, already on their way to Pewter. He couldn't just let them get ahead like that! His trench coat flapped in the air like a cape as he darted through the high grass, over a nearby log, only to trip over a Pidgey prancing across the grassy field. As he landed on his face in the mud, he could hear the bird beneath him squeal in pain, glaring at him with a look of pure loathing in his beady eyes.

Instinctively, Tony's hand flew to his coat. He had attached Bulbasaur's Poke-Ball to his jacket button, for easy withdrawal. As he unlocked his Bulbasaur, without removing the Poke-Ball, he felt his body shudder momentarily as the leafy monster emerged before him, the bulb on his top balanced perfectly on his arching back. The reptilian monster glared at the Pidgey, the starter Pokemon clearly able to understand why it had been summoned from its slumber, as the bird glared at Tony, hateful toward the human for stumbling over him like that.

"Alright, Bulby, beat that guy up just like you beat up Charmander!" The Bulbasaur obeyed. He leapt at the Pidgey, ready to dump its entire body weight against the bird, only for that feathered fiend to fly into the air, evading the attack entirely. It soared high above the poor creature, and turned, instead, toward Tony, a venomous glint in its eye. Tony felt his stomach knot as he leapt to the side as the Pidgey fell to Earth like a comet, its beak aimed outward like a sword. The Pidgey slammed into the ground, sending clouds of dust high into the air.

Tony turned back to look at the Pidgey as it rose to its full height, glaring at Tony hatefully. It was about to fly at him, and would have, had it not been for Bulbasaur leaping against the poor bird, forcing its full body weight on top of it, forcing it into the ground. He held the Pidgey between his legs, keeping its wings from flapping. As the poor bird struggled to escape, Tony watched as his Bulbasaur simply forced more weight against it, keeping it restrained beneath him.

"Great job, Bulbasaur!" Tony laughed, reaching for a second Poke-ball to capture it. It was only when his fingers curled around nothing did he realize that he didn't have a second Poke-Ball. Frowning slightly, he shouted, "Alright, Bulbasaur, paralyze it! Use Stun Spore!" Bulbasaur nudged the Pidgey with its head into the air, sending it flying toward the sky. The weakened bird didn't have a chance as a space at the top of the bulb grew larger, opening up large enough for a jet of orange spores to fly from the orifice. The spores slammed against the Pidgey's back, its body stiffening at contact. The poor bird's eyes widened as it fell to Earth, completely paralyzed.

Tony punched the air in triumph. The Pidgey wouldn't resist now. He recalled his Bulbasaur into its appropriate ball as he scooped the Pidgey into his arms, smiling as he darted through the high grass. He didn't have any Poke-balls now, sure, but that didn't matter. He needed to catch all the Pokemon, but no one ever said he needed a ball to catch them. All he needed to do was simply arrive in Viridian, buy a few Poke-Balls, and then he'd officially have a Pidgey.

He glanced down at the bird as he glanced up at him. A look of resistance, perhaps of utter loathing, spread across the bird's face, but Tony ignored it. After all, this was his first Pokemon he caught on his own. Sure, it may not like him now, but just wait a few more days! They'd be best friends for sure! And if not friends, than official fighting buddies. Either way, it worked out for him in the end.

He stumbled over a root, dropping Pidgey. The trainer felt pain surge through his body his head bumped against a nearby stone. He felt a little cut on his forehead, blood smeared on his fingertips. The paralyzed bird landed several yards away. Tony pushed himself up, rubbing away the dirt and blood from his face, as he turned to see a trainer approaching the paralyzed Pidgey, a smile on his lips.

"Hey! Get the hell away from that Pidgey, you stupid bastard!" Tony snapped, "He's mine."

"Yours?" the trainer, a boy dressed up as though he were searching for bugs, "I don't think so. He looks like mine, if you ask me." He withdrew an empty Poke-Ball from his pocket, and raised it over his head.

"Bulbasaur!" Tony summoned his own Pokemon in the nick of time. He dove in between Pidgey and the trainer. When the ball flew toward Pidgey, he knocked it aside with his paws, sending it into the dirt, a large crack down the side, worthless.

"That's a waste of $200! I hope you're willing to pay for that!" the trainer snapped.

"Who should I make the check out to?" Tony asked, diving for Pidgey, scooping the bird into his arms.

"Michael, the future champion of the Pokemon League," the trainer shouted, withdrawing two balls, throwing them both simultaneously. Tony watched as the two balls exploded into an array of light, summoning two fearsome Pokemon. One was a massive yellow-jacketed wasp, a Beedrill, the other an elegant butterfly, a Butterfree. Tony glared at the fearsome foe as Bulbasaur stood his ground, glaring at the two opponents.

As Tony held the little Pidgey to his chest, he shouted, "Beat them to a pulp, Bulbasaur."

His little Pokemon obeyed the order. He darted toward the Beedrill, tackling it in the center of his chest. As it soared backward, the Beedrill drew its own drill-like forearms, and dug them into the Bulbasaur's bulb! The little Pokemon shrieked in pain as spores exploded harmlessly from the top of its bulb. As Beedrill threw Tony's starter off to the side, he watched helplessly as the Butterfree flew overhead, dropping spores from her elegant wings with grace and beauty. Bulbasaur was consumed by the beautiful array of pixie dust, and, to Tony's horror, paralyzed.

"No!"

"This was easier than I thought," Michael laughed, "Hand over the Pidgey, you little brat!"

"No! Bulbasaur, beat those guys up!" As though spurred on by the sound of his master's voice, Bulbasaur struggled to move, glaring at the Beedrill and Butterfree before him. Mustering enough strength to move, he flew through the air, slamming against Beedrill's head, knocking him into the tall grass, before falling weakly on his stomach, unable to move himself any further. Tony watched as the Beedrill rose into the air, vehement.

"Ah well, guess I'm going to have to beat your Bulbasaur up a little more, then beat you up," laughed Michael.

Bulbasaur glanced up fearfully at the enemies before him, both glaring at him from each side. Butterfree rose above it, releasing blue powder, Sleep Powder, from its graceful wingspan. Tony could only stare in horror as the powder descended toward the poor little critter. It was at that moment that he was blown backward as a powerful hurricane of wind exploded from his chest, sending the powder into the air, following the currents of air, straight into Beedrill. The giant wasp was blown backward, sleep powder thrust into its face. Once again, he fell into the grass, only this time he didn't return.

"Damn it!" Michael stammered, "That Pidgey just saved the Bulbasaur? But why? It doesn't make sense! It's a wild Pokemon still. It's not obliged to obey a master."

Tony glanced at the paralyzed Pidgey, now struggling to move. It glanced up at Tony, staring it in the eye, a determined expression in its eyes. Tony and it locked eyes for a second, and utter realization dawned upon each of them. The Pidgey wanted to pummel Tony exclusively, and it would wait until it was healed to do so. He didn't want to be taken away from him by some random trainer before it could take revenge on the stupid trainer for tripping over him like a root or something.

Bulbasaur pushed itself up, staring up at the Butterfree overhead as it tried, once again, to put the poor creature to sleep. Bulbasaur rolled to the side, evading the blue powder, as it too fired powder, orange powder, into the air, directly into the Butterfree's core. The poor creature fell to the ground, convulsing weakly as it struggled to move. Michael stared at each of his two Pokemon as he returned them to their balls. Glancing up at Tony, he lowered his head in defeat. "I can't believe I lost to a paralyzed bird and a stupid greenhorn."

"Want to get out of my way, Michael?" Tony asked, returning Bulbasaur to its ball, a grin on his lips.

"Fine. Go."


	3. Chapter 3: Route 02 and Viridian Forest

**Part 3**

"I hate bugs! Gross!" Mary cried as locks of her dark, almost blue, hair was entangled in the branches above her as she stepped out of the way of a worm-like Weedle, keeping her shins out of the reach of that unicorn-like horn on the top of its head. With a sharp kick to the side of the animal's head, it soared off to the wayside, out of her reach. When she noticed the poor bug's eyes spiraling around in its skull, she frowned, slightly, before withdrawing an empty ball from her pocket. She had purchased twenty Pokeballs just to be prudent for occasions like this, after all. After tossing an empty ball at the stunned Weedle, capturing it effectively in a flash of light, she returned the Pokeball to her pocket, a smile on her lips.

Her first captured Pokemon.

She was surprised by just how much she had begged for the Pokeballs from the Professor considering she hadn't used any until this point. She had avoided the high grass due to a fear of the rather creepy trainers who were hanging out there, hiding behind the tall grass. Seriously, did those trainers have no life? Why were they there, stalking the Pokemon in the lowlands like that? Couldn't they be doing something more satisfying with their time, anyway? Although she had found herself in a few skirmishes, she was proud to announce that her Squirtle had pulled through effectively each and every time.

As she disentangled her hair from the tree, she noticed the numerous pods resting peacefully on the tree. Green Metapods and beige Kakunas were bound to the bark by numerous strands of opaque string, no doubt organic and created from their very bodies, like excrement. They looked so peaceful, so undisturbed. Mary smiled thinly as she withdrew a Pokeball from her pocket. Surely she could capture one of each of these little bugs and add them to her collection. Those little blockheads, after all, were locked inside of those cacoons. They surely couldn't hear or see a damned thing, and, after all, all she needed to do was just tap them on the back with her pokeballs. No struggle, no nothing.

She didn't bother hiding the sound of her feet sloshing forward as she tapped a Metapod with her Pokeball, smiling jovially as the Pokemon was consumed in a flash of light before being sucked into the Pokeball in her hand. Appreciating the weight of the Pokemon, she placed the Pokeball on her belt, next to her Squirtle and Weedle, before turning to the Kakuna beside it. She noticed that its eyes were narrowed at her, but appeared helpless to do anything to stop her. She withdrew a second Pokeball, and was about to tap the little bug with it when she heard a sharp screech.

Glancing up, she saw a Beedrill flying at her.

She shrieked in horror as she darted off into the forest, the Beedrill in pursuit. How could she be so stupid! Of course a Beedrill would be guarding those poor Kakuna! It was stupid to think that they wouldn't try guarding their vulnerable brethren as they steadily grew stronger and more powerful. They'd need hunting mates, friends, comrades in the future, and if trainers could just capture them just like that, then the hive they belonged to would no doubt suffer. Or at least that's what Mary assumed. She really had no clue about the organization patterns of Pokemon, assuming they were organized. After all, they were just stupid animals.

Mary hastily withdrew Squirtle, and summoned the little lad. Squirtle, after a second of adjusting to the moist atmosphere of the forest, glanced up at the Beedrill, his eyes wide. Mary didn't care if that little animal was scared or not! All she longed for was for it to attack, to beat it down! "Hey! Use Bubble! Hurry up!" On command, Squirtle blew an array of bubbles that, in a disorganized pattern, drifted out of his mouth, almost like floating drool from a baby's mouth. The Beedrill, unable to stop in time, collided head on with the bubbles, staggering in mid flight before catching itself, only mildly injured by the assault.

Squirtle had no time to avoid the enemy's drill-like forearms as Beedrill stabbed each organic weapon at the little turtle, plunging each one into the little critter's underbelly! Squirtle gasped for air as pain enveloped it, a gasp that gave Beedrill time to plan a follow-up assault, a gasp that gave Mary a chance to escape. "Squirtle! Return!" she shrieked, recalling Squirtle back into its ball before withdrawing an empty ball, throwing it at the Beedrill. In a flash of light, the bee disappeared into the ball in a flash of light. For a moment, Mary felt adrenaline pulsate throughout her body, the realization that she had just captured a hostile bug surging through her body, only for, a moment later, the ball to shatter apart like glass as Beedrill broke free of the imprisonment of the ball. Mary's eyes widened in terror as the bug flew at her, stabbing the drill-like appendages into her breasts!

She staggered backward, feeling her body grow numb. She shrieked in pain, falling on her rear as the Beedrill shoved its weight against her, drawing its drill-like appendages backward to finish its target off. Was she going to die? Was she going to be killed by a stupid Beedrill? No, this wasn't fair! This wasn't right! This was an embarrassing way to be beaten! Weren't Pokemon supposed to fight other Pokemon, not trainers? This was absurd and embarrassing! She still had Weedle, though, surely, if she could only reach for that Pokeball!

There was a flash of emerald light. Mary watched as the jet of energy collided into Beedrill's side, blowing it into a nearby tree, through the trunk, and through the next tree. Mary's eyes widened as she realized, in the calm after the energy dissipated, that the enemy Beedrill had been propelled a football field away by the enemy attack! Just what kind of power could do that? She glanced over her shoulder to lock eyes with her savior.

The man standing above her was dressed in a loose fitting dark t-shirt tucked sloppily into his jeans, an emerald jacket thrown lazily over his shirt, unbuttoned and just as shabby. His silver straight locks fell over his back, his bangs almost covering up his emerald eyes as he glanced down at Mary, an amused expression on his face. As he stroked the head of his massive Venasaur, the creature that would one day be in the possession of that fat bitch Yumi, a creature she owed her life to.

"Are you alright?" the white haired man asked Mary in a rather nonchalant tenor voice.

"Uh, yeah, thank you," Mary stammered, in awe.

"Good. Were you poisoned?"

"What?"

"Did the Beedrill poison you with those drills of hers?" the man asked Mary, lazily.

"I don't feel different," Mary replied, rising to her feet, anxiously searching for some sort of difference in her body, any uncharacteristic feeling that would indicate her being poisoned.

"Good," the man replied, a smile on his lips, a lazy one at that, "Guess my work here is finished."

"Wait, can you show me out of the Viridian Forest?" Mary asked, desperately, "I hate to admit it, but I'm sort of lost here, and I would awfully appreciate it if you would, um, help me out." Towards the end of her statement, Mary shifted her position so that she would appear less filthy and sweaty and more, she hoped, angelic and innocent.

The man glanced over at her with a lazy shrug. "Sure, why not?"

"Thanks! And you are who?"

"My name is Rapha."

#

As Yumi ducked under an additional branch, she glanced at the five unused balls on her belt buckle, smiling as she thought of just how she was going to use them. It had been a day since she set off from Viridian City, and setting up camp had been rather difficult with all the boggy mud around. Additionally, a few Weedles had taken to eating the fabric, which was, for all intents and purposes, irritating, especially considering that, at that moment, she had been changing into her pajamas and, exactly at that moment, some random trainer had been passing by and caught a glimpse at her bare midriff. This had resulted in one of the most brutal Pokemon battles of all time, ending in the trainer being lit aflame after a rather brutal explosion created by Yumi's Charmander.

All in all, it had been a relatively satisfying experience.

Regardless, despite the weakened Weedle lying around, scurrying away from the brilliant flames, Yumi never wasted one of her Pokeballs on them. She was saving her balls for a more worthwhile catch, a creature she had seen years ago on one of the trips she had taken to the forest with her brother. A specific rodent which frequented these woods: a Pikachu.

She would never forget the night she laid eyes on that Pikachu. It had been three years earlier, and her brother had returned home for a little while, taking his dear little sister to the Viridian Forest for the weekend to camp. That night, her brother set up a tent that was far superior to that wimpy tent that Yumi had abandoned after it was eaten up by Weedles. It was coated in a secretion that the Weedle and Caterpies that would have normally devoured the fabric found disgusting. As a second precaution, he had ordered his Vulpix to stand guard outside of the tent. Still, as her brother fell asleep, Yumi had continued to stare out at the forest beyond the tent's limits, to the outside, hoping to catch a glimpse of something truly remarkable.

Eventually, something turned up.

A yellow mouse-like creature with long ears emerged from the tall grass, sparks flying from its body as it stared toward little Yumi. She remembered staring back at the little critter, amazed by the way its soft, ball-like body approached the tent, on all fours, racing toward the coated tent. Perhaps he found the scent of the coating pleasurable? Perhaps it was Yumi's shampoo? Regardless, something was attracting the creature, the Pikachu, to their tent, and that electric rodent was coming fast. Had it not been for her brother's Vulpix tackling the Pikachu and torching it with a Fire Spin attack, it would have entered the sanctuary of the tent, and might have electrocuted them.

Regardless, ever since that night, ever since seeing that elusive little animal, Yumi knew she had to have it. It had been so adorable, the way its nose twitched while it ran, the way its lightning bolt shaped tail bobbed with each step, just the way it went on all fours while running despite being perfectly able to walk on its hind legs. She needed it, she wanted it, and from what she read in books, it was stronger than your average Beedrill.

Yumi spent the entire day scanning the high grass, looking for a Pikachu. At first, all she found were just Caterpies and Weedles that she ignored, but eventually she found tracks in the ground that strongly resembled Pikachu tracks. She had read up on Pokemon tracks, and had even been told about many thanks to her older brother. She followed the tracks through the woods, only to be led to a small bush filled with berries. The tracks ended at this shrub, indicating that whatever had made the tracks, clearly a Pikachu, was currently nestled within the leafy branches of the berry bush.

Yumi absentmindedly picked a berry from the bush and plopped it into her mouth as she considered her options. She could always burn the bush down, but that might make the Pikachu angry rather than weakened. She could also lure it out with food, but that might be worthless considering that the Pikachu was in a bush filled with berries. Yumi continued plucking berries from the tree and plopping them into her mouth as she continued to weigh the strategies she could employ to capture Pikachu. By the time she came to the conclusion that she may as well just start battling the critter and force him out rather than lure him out, the berry tree was already stripped of all its fruit, thanks to her!

It was only then that a little head poked itself out of the berry tree, the yellow round face of a Pikachu, her eyes narrowed as she glared up at Yumi, vehement that her berries, the berries she longed to taste, were now inside a human's belly. Yumi backed away as she withdrew the pokeball that contained Charmander. With a quick push of the button, Yumi watched Charmander appear on the ground in a flash of light, ready for combat. Pikachu emerged from the berry tree, just as eager to fight, clearly upset that her food had been stolen from her.

"Ember!" Yumi shouted, only for Charmander to obey. From the scarlet lizard's reptilian jaws exploded several ash-like embers, red hot and fiery, that soared into the Pikachu's face. It staggered back, bolts of electricity exploding from its cheeks as it brushed away the ashes from its eyes. As she fiddled her face, the Pikachu was left defenseless from Yumi's Charmander, who dove behind the Pikachu, and slammed against the back of her head with his tail! The Pikachu was thrown forward, into the ground, as sparks exploded from her body, surging into Charmander! The poor Pokemon collapsed upon contact with the electricity, twitching painfully as the Pikachu struggled to rise, clearly hurt by the combination of attacks.

Yumi reached for an empty ball, and threw it into the Pikachu's face. She was knocked backward before being sucked into the ball, imprisoned within its red and white surface. Yumi clenched her fists, bit her lip, and watched, anxiously, as the Pokeball twitched on the ground, shivering as Pikachu struggled to free herself. After a few seconds, the ball remained silent. A smile broke out on Yumi's lips as she launched herself at the ball, curling her fingers around it, punching the air in triumph. "Yeah! Got her! Good job Charmander!"

"Charman…" Charmander moaned, weakly, as it struggled to rise, despite the minor twitch that still ran throughout her body.

"You did good."

#

"Now, there's more than one way to get to Pewter!" laughed Tony as he pulled his leg over the branch of the nearest tree, staring down at the path it would have taken much longer to reach. After all, despite his Bulbasaur being able to do a lot with his power and all, he couldn't cut down a tree just yet at his level of ability. Oh no, rather, he'd need to wait a little longer to be able to do that. And, of course, he had no problem with waiting. This was, after all, where tree climbing came in handy. As he landed nimbly on the grassy area to the right of Route 02, he smiled to himself, glancing ahead at the cave up ahead.

Tony darted forward, through the grasslands, through the fields, nimbly avoiding the foolish Weedles and weak Caterpies that littered the area around him. After all, he had a Pidgey. What did he need foolish bugs for? He was ready for bigger obsticals, larger goals to overcome, for only the sky was the limit! With Pidgey, even the sky wasn't an obstacle. Once he found the Hidden Machine that contained the power of flight, even soaring up to the level of the clouds, to the level of Gods, was but a simple matter! Oh, he was the greatest, the most powerful, of all the trainers around!

It was only then that the masterful Tony's eyes landed upon a Pokeball lying on the ground. He approached it, curiously, before picking it up in his hand. Sure, he had bought a good six Pokeballs from that store in Viridian, but this ball was different. It was an ordinary Pokeball, but something about it made it different. It felt heavier than an empty ball, so many there was something inside of it? He tossed it up into the air before catching it again. Well, there was no harm in checking to see what was inside of it. He opened the ball up, and, not to his surprise, a flash of light illuminated the area around him. To his astonishment, the light cleared to reveal a rather peculiar creature, one that looked like a clown and mime's lovechild, with long torrents of hair sticking out of either side of its head, large ball-like joints, and gloves over its hands.

"Mr. Mime!" it cooed, a jolly expression on its face.

"Okay, just what the hell are you?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mr. Mime!"

"I get that, but are you a Pokemon?"

"Mime!"

"I'll take that as a yes. So what do you do?"

"Mime?"

"Like, what sort of powers do you have?"

"Mr.!" The creature smiled as though he understood just what Tony was talking about. The Pokemon, whose name Tony assumed was Mr. Mime only because he wouldn't stop repeating that blasted name, closed his eyes, gently, as he extended his hands out in front of him, as though he were touching an invisible wall. He continued to press his fingers against the imaginary surface, stroking it gently with his fingers, a look of intense concentration filling his face. Tony waited patiently for something to happen, finding boredom settling in as the seconds turned into minutes.

"So what are you doing, exactly?" Tony asked, reaching out to touch the Pokemon's shoulder, only to find his knuckles knocking against the invisible wall that Mr. Mime had created. "Wow, that's pretty cool."

"Mime Mr. Mime!"

"Now, return," Tony replied, a smile on his face as he recalled Mr. Mime to his ball. As he weighed the ball in his hand, he attached it to his coat's buttons, right below his Pidgey. Here was a Psychic Pokemon. He could use this later on against one of his opponents. Perfect! He punched the air in triumph before hearing a man calling out for him.

The man was a rather overweight fellow with greasy black hair, and watching him stride over to him, Tony couldn't deny, was mildly amusing. The man was clearly no athlete, and, as he gasped for air, Tony couldn't help but derive sadistic pleasure from watching his struggle to dash. After reaching Tony, the man took a full ten seconds to catch his breath before asking Tony a question. "Hey, have you seen a Pokeball anywhere?"

"What? Nope."

"Are you sure? It contained a Mr. Mime."

"Nope, never saw one."

"Alright, but, if you find someone, can you ask them if you've found it too? I've lost it and I'm trying to find it. I need to trade it for an Abra."

"Oh, okay. Good luck," Tony replied, ignoring any moral conflict at stealing this boy's Pokemon.

Tony proceeded onward down the road, avoiding the grassy areas in order to not find a reason to summon his Mr. Mime while his former owner was within sight. Rather, Tony reached the building a mile or so down the road, a broad smile on his face. He walked into the building, only to find himself in a rather open center with a good six or seven other trainers, all taking a break from their travels by sitting around the counter, drinking a well deserved bottle of water, soda, or even sake. Tony threw himself down at the counter, seeing a chance to take advantage of the moment, and asked for a sake.

Naturally, he was turned down for being underage, and resigned to having water.

As he refreshed himself, feeling liquid slide down his parched throat, he heard a voice call out for him, a voice to his left. Tony glanced over to his side to see a rather peculiar trainer. He was wearing a business suit, scarlet in hue, a rather presentable individual with slicked back dark hair and a critical glint in his eyes. He folded his hands at the counter as he ordered sake. As his drink was being prepared, he turned to Tony, a rather amused glint in his eyes. "Good child, are you, by any chance, related to the trainer known as Red?" His voice was firm, rather intimidating if Tony didn't say so himself.

"Not at all, sorry," Tony replied, "Although, between you and me, I plan on surpassing him."

"Surpassing Red? That's quite a laugh," the man chuckled, "I apologize for asking out of the blue like that, but it goes without say that there is a slight resemblance."

"Do you think so?" Tony asked, a well of pride swelling up inside his chest at the thought that he was in some way similar to that great trainer.

"Certainly. You both share that glint of passion, the expression that shouts 'Damn reality, damn limitations, I will succeed no matter what.'"

"Well, I suppose you're right about that," Tony replied, a grin on his lips.

"What if I propose a proposition for you?" the man asked, ordering a second sake, a slight grin on his lips as he passed his own drink over to Tony.

Tony accepted the drink, a grin on his lips as well. "Tell me."

"What if I were to say that I know of a way to allow you to reach your dreams of beating Red?"

"I'd say you have a deal, regardless of the way, terms, and whatnot," Tony replied.

"You're rather trusting. How do you know I don't mean you harm, or plan on ripping you off?"

"Because I know people, and I know when people are trustworthy and honorable," Tony replied, pressing his thumb into his breast in pride.

"I see. Well, I suppose you're right. In any event, I want to give you this little machine." The man reached into his pocket, and withdrew a small, box-like instrument labeled HM 05. "This is Hidden Machine 05, as you can clearly see. It's a rather rare instrument created for the intention of teaching Pokemon specific moves, as I'm sure you already know. This particular machine teaches Pokemon Flash."

"Flash? In order to light up caves?" Tony asked, amused.

"Yes, and I am willing to donate this machine as a gift to your cause."

"Any catch?" Tony asked.

"Yes, there is just one. I want you to meet me at Celadon City in one week at the Department Store roof. Be there."

"Alright, and what is your name?"

"Mine is Giovanni, and who are you?"

"I'm Tony, and I'm going to kick everyone's ass in Pokemon battling."

"Will you now. Is that a promise?"

"Of course it is! Just who the hell do you think I am?"


	4. Chapter 4: Pewter and Vermillion City

**Part 4**

As the two approached the city before them, Mary felt the sun high above her, the sun that had been blocked out by the archways of trees and branches covered with leaves, walls between her and the sky, shine in her eyes, scorching her gentle pupils with blinding luminous light. She shielded herself from the rays, only for Rapha, her companion, to chuckle in amusement. As he shook his head, he muttered, in amusement, "You are an interesting one, Mary."

Mary glanced over at her companion, a bashful smile on her face as blush ran through her cheeks. He was a such a shabby guy, that strange jacket sparkling in the sunlight as he took a few more steps forward, throwing his arm out as though to beckon her through the threshold to the city behind her. "Princess, your chariot awaits. Welcome to Pewter."

Mary had never been to Pewter City before. She had been to Viridian and Celadon, both cities with rather modern architecture, with beautiful stores filled to the brim with merchandize for her to buy, the streets beautifully crafted with stone patterns. She had assumed that all the cities in the world were like that, but she had been dead wrong. Pewter City was constructed almost entirely out of concrete and cement. The buildings were made of cement, the streets made of concrete, and even the sign post had been constructed by stone and rope. Mary shook her head, running a hand through her hair as she realized that she had to remain in this ridiculous city that looked as though it had emerged straight out of the stone ages in order to beat a stupid gym leader. If a bone-headed idiot was willing to have a gym in this stupid location, he deserved to be beaten!

"This is Pewter City?" Mary asked, double checking with Rapha in case the sign post that read "Welcome to Pewter City" was lying to her.

"Last I checked it was," Rapha replied, "The gym leader here is Brock, so I recommend you use water Pokemon against him. You have a Squirtle, right? You should be fine. Well, I'll just be—"

"Hold it!" Mary grabbed Rapha by the sleeve as he turned to go. This beautiful man was too useful for him to just leave her now. She needed him, needed his help. She knew that, past Pewter was Mt. Moon. She needed to find a shortcut through that. If she were to just navigate through that treacherous landscape, she would end up dead, lost, scraped up from head to toe. However, if Rapha were to use his Venasaur again to just blast a hole in the wall, she'd be out in no time at all.

Rapha regarded Mary with a rather irate expression, his eyes narrowed, before he sighed, running his other hand through his silvery locks. "Look, I'd love to help you, Mary, but I need to fight Blue right now. If I beat him quickly, I'll come back to help you out, but you must understand that right now isn't the best time for me to be helping out young trainers."

"I'll pay you money. Listen, my family's loaded. I'm sure I'll be able to give you enough money to buy yourself the best Pokemon to take Blue on."

"It doesn't work like that," Rapha replied, "You can't just buy your way to power."

"Why not?" Mary asked, curiously, changing her position, her expression, to make herself look curious, bewildered. For some reason, idealists loved to lecture people about the values of love and respect, and it did their hearts good to think that they've converted someone to their way of thinking. If Rapha felt that way, maybe, just maybe, he'd be more willing to help Mary out. Predictably, Rapha began to babble about treating Pokemon like fellow human beings, like comrades, in order to form a bond of trust, blah, blah, blah. The same old speech, but Mary nodded, occasionally commenting with awed expressions such as "I didn't even think of that," or "My God, I can't believe what I've been doing all this time."

At the end of his self-indulgent monologue, Rapha smiled, placing his hand on Mary's head, ruffling her blue locks of hair as he stared down into her gentle eyes. "Look, I'll meet you in Cerulean in a few days. I just need to face Blue, and then, rest assured, I'll be ready to help you along the way."

"But how will I know you'll come back?" Mary stammered, her eyes fearful. She needed something, anything, to hold as collateral. Something to ensure he'd return to her. If she had something valuable of his, maybe, just maybe, he'd come back to her as quickly as possible. And, if he lent her a Pokemon, then maybe she'd be able to overcome Brock once and for all!

Frowning, Rapha replied, "I'll lend you one of my weaker Pokemon. Consider it a gift; I won't be needing it. I have a dozen of them, anyway."

"A dozen of what?" Mary asked, in awe, as Rapha reached into a pocket of his coat. Mary glanced into the slip in his jacket to see, to her awe, dozens upon dozens of miniature Pokeballs, all shrunken down to their itty bittiest size, all like jelly beans in a jar at a candy store. Rapha withdrew a single tiny ball, and handed it to Mary, his eyes concentrated.

"Use this against Brock, and rest assured, you'll beat him. Just make sure you use him wisely." Rapha reached into his pocket, and withdrew a single ball. It expanded within his hand, only to explode in a flash of light. To Mary's amazement, a massive fiery yellow bird-like entity appeared before him, its wings alight with great flames, a mane of fire running down the span of its neck. As it screeched loudly, the supersonic sound of its voice piercing the air, Mary realized just what entity stood before them both, what beast of legend Rapha had tamed inside of a mere ball.

"That's a Moltres, isn't it?" Mary stammered.

"That's correct," Rapha replied, hopping onto the bird's back, the flames enveloping him, yet not scorching his flesh, "They say this creature's legendary. It isn't; just EXTREMELY rare. And I happened to find one." Mary stared up at Rapha as the Moltres rose into the air, gently beating its wings against the air, the ground beneath it beginning to be lit aflame. "I'll be back for you, so don't worry. Farewell, Mary! See ya in a bit!" There was a flash of flame and fire as the Moltres rocketed into the air, disappearing against the star in the sky.

Rapha had tamed a Moltres? One of the Three Legendary Birds of Legend? One of the entities that she had been told of as a kid, an entity some believed to be a God? That was something she would have never believed. She never thought she would even see one in real life. She didn't even believe they existed at all. As reality began to return to her, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one had seen them. Of course, the foolish citizens of this primitive town seemed more interested in cement as opposed to the fire burning the little grass of this town to cinders.

She walked into the nearest Pokemon Center as she handed her Pokeballs to the pink haired nurse who looked identical to the one in Viridian. Maybe this one was a little slimmer, or maybe she wore her make-up slightly differently, but the two women could have been identical twins. "Excuse me, but are you any way related to that nurse in Viridian?"

"Oh, I'm her cousin," she replied, a smile on her lips as she placed each of Mary's Pokeballs on the stove-like machine that magically recharged her Pokemon.

"Oh, because you look a lot alike," Mary replied, frowning slightly.

"Yes, we get that a lot," the nurse laughed, "Actually, our entire family looks alike."

As Mary received the Pokemon fresh off the oven-recovery thingy, she considered her options. She weighed the Pokeball Rapha gave her against the bugs she had captured. Sure, the Caterpies and Weedles were formidable, but Rapha was a terrific trainer! Surely, if he could train a Moltres, then surely even his weak Pokemon were superior. All she'd need was to use this one Pokemon against Brock, and it would all turn out for the best.

"Excuse me, but where's the Gym here?" Mary asked, a smile on her lips as the Nurse bowed respectably before her.

"You mean Brock's gym? Oh, you're the second trainer today to ask me that. It's right between—"

"Wait, second?!" Surely that idiot Yumi couldn't have arrived in Pewter before her! Rapha had blown a hole through the forest, an opening for her to walk through. A massive pathway out. Surely Yumi, even with all of her camping trips she had with her brother years ago, couldn't have navigated through the Viridian Forest THAT easily! Maybe it was someone else, another trainer from another town. Maybe she was just being paranoid, that was it. She needed to just take a breather, a glass of water, calm herself down. After all, the idea that Yumi, a chubby little girl who had annoyed Mary for years, was here, in Pewter, fighting Brock before her, was ridiculous!

"She was this girl from Pallet town, a little chunky in the middle, but otherwise really sweet and kind," the nurse replied, smiling, "Why? Do you know her?"

So it was Yumi! Yumi was here, ahead of her! At the gym! She gathered her Pokeballs, dumped them into her bag hastily, and darted out of the center, replying over her shoulder, "Thanks for telling me!"

"Not a problem. Don't stumble on the way to the gym."

#

A single light burst to life above the arena composed entirely of stone. Columns of granite supported an emerald ceiling. Stalactites and stalagmites jetted out of the ceiling and floor, giving the gym the appearance of a cave, a natural setting for rock Pokemon. A single light burst to light on each end of the arena, equaling three lights in total, two of which illuminated human beings, standing with a determined glint in their eyes as they stared at the other.

"So, you know the rules, right? You can only use six of your Pokemon against me in battle, understand? The first one to run out of useable Pokemon loses. If you emerge victorious, I'll give you the Boulder Badge as a sign of your victory. Do you agree to these terms?"

Yumi's lip curled into a triumphant grin as she nodded. "I agree. I knew what I was getting into long before I started this battle, you know."

The man before her grinned. He was not much older than she was, maybe four yeas her senior. As a child, Yumi had been made fun of her eyes being different from the others. They had asked how she could see where she was going with the way the skin around her eyes had developed. Still, she was glad to see that Brock, the dark haired tan gym leader before her, had eyes even smaller and more squinty than her own! As he withdrew two Pokeballs from his belt, he glanced over at Yumi, or at least she assumed he did because she really had trouble making eye contact with the guy. "Are you ready, Yumi?"

"Born ready," she replied, withdrawing a single ball from her waist, the orb expanding in her fist as she felt her heart slam against the interior of her breast, adrenaline enveloping her, invigorating her. She unlocked the Pokemon within, unleashing a flash of light through the air, which faded away to reveal a lone Pikachu, her eyes determined as she glared up at Brock, sparks flying.

"You must be joking," Brock sighed, tossing one of his balls into the arena. From the depths of the Pokeball emerged a boulder-like entity, a levitating stone with two rock-like arms jetting out of its sides. It flexed its muscles as it roared into the air.

"Geodude!"

"An electric mouse has no chance of beating my rock Pokemon," sighed Brock, "I've only seen one trainer do something this crazy, and even then it was a very rare incident. You best summon a different Pokemon. Maybe you'll endure the assault."

"I only have two Pokemon, and Pikachu is one of them," Yumi replied, grinning.

"You intend on beating me with that little?" Brock chuckled, "You either must have something up your sleeve, or haven't been training for very long. I'll give you a chance to walk away, train, and come back in a week or so."

"Nope, I'm staying!" Yumi snapped, clenching her fists. She couldn't surrender, not before the fight even began. She'd rather fight until her Pokemon were on the ground bleeding than actually give up before the match even started. She wouldn't let Mary have the upper hand. She owed it to her brother to triumph over all else. She needed to crush Brock in order to meet Blue. Three different motivations driving her forward like the currents of a river. She couldn't just surrender now!

"Fine, but don't expect any mercy! Rock Throw!"

The Geodude slammed his fist into the ground sending a dozen stone fragments into the air, which he caught with his other hand. "Evade the attack, Pikachu! Quick attack!" The Pikachu evaded the stones as the Geodude pitched them at him, the arena splintering apart as the stones collided against the floor. With a determined glint in its eyes, the Pikachu dove against Brock's Geodude, throwing it against the floor, cracking it beneath them.

"Nice try, but not good enough. Bind!"

The Geodude wrapped its arms along the Pikachu's body, squeezing the air out of it. The rodent shrieked in pain, sparks uselessly flying out of its cheeks. The bolts enveloped the Geodude, but to no avail. The hard skin of the creature was unaffected by the electric current, but this was to be expected. Yumi clenched her fists as she shrieked, evading a stray bolt, "Bite it!"

"Bite?"

The Pikachu dug its teeth into the hard surface of the Geodude, chipping the rocky surface of the creature, but to little avail. Brock shook his head as his Geodude squeezed harder against the creature. The Pikachu shrieked again, releasing its hold on the rock. "You truly are a novice. Why don't you call your Pikachu back and bring him back for later?"

Yumi clenched her fists into her palm. She felt her own blood begin to ooze between her nails as she trembled in rage. She couldn't lose ground, couldn't surrender. She was starting to sound like that idiot Tony, wasn't she? Hot headed and fool hearty? Well, maybe not. Brock expected her to call her Pikachu back, but she had another plan for this fight. She knew what to do. She just needed Pikachu to hang in there long enough for Brock to let his guard lower.

"Geodude, release her," Brock finally called. The Geodude, heeding its master, released the Pikachu, letting it fall to the ground, gasping for air. "This is getting ridiculous. You clearly don't have what it takes to beat me yet. Come back later when you understand how to fight rock Pokemon."

Yumi lowered her head, allowing her long strands of hair to fall over her face. A moment passed, her Pikachu huffing and puffing as it pushed itself to her feet, glaring angrily at the Geodude, but remaining still all the same, its eyes out of focus. And then, as the seconds passed, a sound escaped Yumi's lips. Brock and his Geodude glanced up first, in astonishment, as Yumi fell victim to a violent seizure of laughter, her head thrown up as she cracked up, holding her belly as she nearly doubled over.

"I can't believe it! I can't believe it!" laughed Yumi, "This is going to be too easy."

"You really need to leave now. I don't see—"

"Pikachu! Quick Attack! You know where to hit him!" At the sound of her Master's voice, Pikachu darted forward, slamming its body against Geodude's side, throwing it backward into a stalactite. As the stone crumbled apart, dust flying in all directions, the Geodude fell to the ground, a large crack running down the scale of its hide, stone from the stalactite embedded in its flesh.

"What? How did his skin crack?" Brock stammered.

Yumi calmed herself down, clenching her fist in triumph. "The bite attack pierced its hide ever so slightly, and that bind attack of yours flexed your own Pokemon's muscles. That shifted the way the skin laid on the muscle. It was like bending your finger after you've cut it: the small little cut begins to tear a little more. When Pikachu landed its quick attack against you, it broke the cut a little more, making it easy for the crap from that stalactite to get inside and really do damage."

Brock smiled, in astonishment. "I see. Your plan was a little crazy, though. What if I had knocked out your Pikachu before you could complete it?"

"I would have used my Charmander to send hot embers into the gash, and then your Geodude would have been in a lot more pain," Yumi explained with a shrug.

"I see. So it was a win-win situation for your regardless," Brock replied, suddenly growing tense, "But you still haven't knocked Geodude out."

"Alright, Pikachu, use thunder shock!" snarled Yumi.

"Foolish."

The bolt of lightning soared through the air, slamming straight into the open gash along the side of Geodude's body. As Brock shook his head, Yumi grinned in amusement. Brock was so foolish. For a guy who specialized in rock Pokemon, he really was oblivious to the way certain rocks worked, like stalactites. Stalactites and stalagmites only formed in moist caves since they were both essentially formed due to dripping water. Water was conducted by electricity. By shattering into the stalactite, the moisture within it had entered Geodude's body. It didn't matter how thick its skin was: if water had gotten in deep inside the Geodude's body, when shocked, it would do some critical damage!

As expected, the Geodude convulsed wildly, its eyes wide as it snarled in pain, before falling to the ground, its eyes spiraling in their sockets.

"But how? It's not possible!" Brock stammered, "Tell me, just how did you train that Pikachu?"

"It has nothing to do with the Pikachu. It has everything to do with using your surroundings, though," Yumi replied, grinning.

"I see. So you aren't just an ordinary foolish trainer. I strongly recommend, though, that you call your Pikachu back. There is no way you can beat Onix with an electric mouse."

This was very true. Now that Brock had seen Yumi's strategy, he seriously doubted that he'd let her have a second chance to break Onix's hide. She recalled the Pikachu into its ball as Brock summoned a great serpentine rock Pokemon. The creature was massive. It coiled around the room, filling it as it roared. The creature looked as though it were a group of rocks that had been bound together by a cord running from rock to rock. As it loomed over Yumi, she felt fear for the first time. It was so big, so massive. How was it possible to beat this damn thing? Well, the way she rationalized it, the creature must move awkwardly due to its size. Something small could probably exploit the links between its body with ease. Something about one tenth of its size, like Charmander!

The dragon-like creature emerged from its Pokeball, an eager expression on its face. However, after laying eyes on the great Onix, it shrieked in fear, darted behind Yumi's leg, and cowered before it. "Aw, Charmander, don't be scared! Listen, I'm sure you can beat it! Don't worry!" Yumi cooed, bending down to stroke Charmander's head with her soft hand, her eyes soft. The little dragon, after a few moments of consoling, nodded his head, and returned to the arena, his eyes determined once more, despite its knees trembling.

"Alright, bind." The Onix lunged forward, curling its body around the Charmander. However, just as the snake contracted around the lizard, it leapt out of the way, landing on the surface of one of its backs. The stones scraped against each other, worthlessly, as Onix glanced over at Charmander, its eyes glaring up at Onix. "Tackle it!" Onix lunged toward Charmander, only for the little critter to leap into the air, allowing the Pokemon's head to collide painfully against its own body. Charmander landed on its head, clinging to the sail on Onix's skull for dear life.

"Good job! Now, burn it! Use Ember!" Charmander opened its jaws, releasing an array of glowing cinders into the surface of Onix's skull. The red hot ashes exploded upon contact, cracking the surface of his skull, knocking the Onix's head into the ground. Charmander remained on the sail, clinging for life, as the Onix's tail rose into the air. Charmander evaded the whack of its tail only for the Onix to, once again, injure itself.

"Astounding," Brock commented, his arms folded, "You certainly know how to fight, but will it be enough?"

"What the hell do you mean?" snapped Yumi as she watched Charmander catch its breath as Onix rose into the air, its eyes narrowed.

"Pretty soon your Pokemon'll tire. It'll start making mistakes. My Onix has endurance unlike any other. Its rock hard hide cannot be penetrated by something as insignificant as a Charmander. In the end, the only thing you'll have to look forward to is falling victime to Bind!" At the sound of "Bind," the Onix lunged to life, wrapping hastily around Charmander, squeezing it against its own stones. It shrieked in pain, its eyes wide as the air was constricted out of it.

"Return, Charmander!" At the sound of Yumi's command, Charmander disappeared in a flash of light, returning to the ball from whence he came. Onix glanced down at Yumi as she summoned Pikachu, a little mouse who stared up, horrified, at the Onix above her.

"You must take this battle more seriously!" Brock snapped, "Or are you using another of your strategies? I don't know whether to stop you now or just see where this goes."

"Why don't you try attacking?" Yumi asked, a confident grin on her lips.

Brock grinned just the same. "No, I'd rather let you have the first move."

Yumi swore silently to herself. Brock was on to her. He knew just as well as she did that, if Onix struck first, Pikachu would be able to evade, and then try to do damage as Onix sluggishly returned to its original position. A clever bastard Brock was, but he wasn't good enough to top her. No, Yumi was determined. She needed, no, would win. But how would she defeat Onix? How would she if Brock was unwilling to attack first?

"Yumi?"

At the sound of her name, she glanced over her shoulder, as did Brock. There, standing on the sidelines, her eyes narrowed, was Mary. Yumi couldn't help but grin. Here she was, her rival, about to witness just why she, Yumi, was far superior to her, in every respect of the word. "Oh, hello Mary. Long time no see. I'm surprised you even survived the Viridian Forest."

"Oh, goes to show you! How the hell did you get out before I did? I mean, I had a hole blasted through the forest to get out. How did you find your way out before I could? It doesn't make sense!"

"I know my way around," laughed Yumi.

"You know your way around Krispy Kreme!"

"I actually hate donuts!" Yumi snapped.

"This is an official Pokemon battle, not an arena so you two can make fun of each other," Brock sighed, running a hand over his face, "Can we finish the fight, then you two can argue?"

"Fine!" Mary laughed, "I'd love to see you lose, Yumi."

"You'll be disappointed!" Yumi snapped, "Pikachu, use Flash!"

From Pikachu's body exploded a beautiful array of light! Yumi covered her eyes as she reached into her belt, withdrawing Charmander's Pokeball as she hastily, and silently, recalled Pikachu. As Onix staggered backwards, Charmander emerged, silently darting forward, hopping up along the stones leading to Onix's skull. The moment he reached the top, Onix began to thrash, wildly, still blinded by the light. Charmander clung to the sail on Onix's head for dear life as he slammed his own tail again and again against the cracked surface of Onix's skull. With each collision, the surface cracked more and more, opening up for Charmander's final blow.

"Ember!"

As Onix's sight returned to him, an array of red hot ashes exploded from Charmander's throat, slamming into the cracks on Onix's head. The rock Pokemon screamed in pain as fire enveloped the interior of his skull. After a few minutes of strained cries, Onix fell to the ground, shattering the stage under his weight, silent, still, unconscious. As Charmander cheered for joy, Brock smiled in amusement. "A brilliant strategist. I didn't even think you knew how to use Flash."

"Well, I was lucky," Yumi replied, shrugging, "When I captured this Pikachu, I used the HM05 my Brother gave me a couple years ago. It helps to know someone who's been around."

"A brother? Did he ever do battle with me?"

"I believe he did. He won."

"I see. Well, it would appear his sister inherited his skill. Never have I seen anyone other than Red himself use a Pikachu successfully in a battle against me. Here, take the Boulder Badge as proof of your victory."

The moment where Yumi approached Brock and accepted the badge was one she'd never forget. There she was, a smile on her face, her dimples as deep as the fissure running down Onix's skull. There Mary was, her eyes wide as the realization that her rival, a "fat little bitch" like Yumi, had beaten her to the punch, that she was well on her way to success. And there the badge was in her hand, shinning against the dim light of the three overhead lamps. As she placed the badge on the inside of her wallet, she asked herself, silently, whether or not anything could overshadow this moment, her first Gym victory, and bring her even greater happiness.

#

"Almost out! There's the light!" Tony laughed as he left the cave, a broad smile on his face. As he left the smelly, dank depths of the cave, his Mr. Mime at his side radiating light like a living lamp, he felt the salty sea air slam against his face, enveloping him with the scents of the beach.

Wait, beach?

Wasn't he supposed to be going to Pewter City?

Tony felt his heart slam against his chest ash he adjusted to the surroundings. Tall grass surrounded the area, the ocean out in the distance, a cruise ship leaving port at that moment, as he recalled Mr. Mime to his ball. He approached the grassy field before him, glancing left and right. There, to his right, were the gates to a beautiful city, a city by the bay, albeit a rather high tech one with power generators and power lines running throughout. The welcoming sign before the gateway read: Welcome to Vermillion City.

"This is where Lt. Surge is," Tony recalled from memory, a grin on his face, "I may not be the strongest yet, but maybe I can win. All I need is a Rock Pokemon." Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he thought it might be. All he'd need is a Pokemon who could endure electricity. Bulbasaur was worn out from fighting, as was Pidgey. The only Pokemon that wasn't unusable was Mr. Mime, and—

That was it. An invisible barrier! He could block out all of Lt. Surge's attacks using that barrier. He grinned at the prospect of his victory, of his emergence into glory. Surely now, more than ever, he would be able to overshadow the others. If he could take Lt. Surge down here and now, surely, SURELY, he'd be above them all. He darted into town, finding the first Pokemon Center he could find. Running to the counter to find a rather cute pink haired woman, slender frame, rather curvy breasts, he handed his three Pokemon, Bulbasaur, Pidgey, and Mr. Mime, to her. "Heal them up, please! I'm in a hurry."

"Okay there. Off to face Lt. Surge, are we?" the nurse laughed gaily, placing his Pokeballs on the stove machine she used.

"Of course I am! Just who the hell do you think I am, anyway?" Tony laughed.

"No need to use course language in this facility!" the nurse replied, reproachfully, "We do have children here."

"Oh, I'm sure they hear it all the time," Tony replied, waving off a six year old holding his bloody Pidgey in his arms, tears in his eyes.

"Oh my," the nurse stammered, noting the boy behind Tony holding his wounded Pokemon, "What happened there?"

"Lt. Surge," the boy cried, placing the bird gravely on the counter, "I wanted to face him, and he beat me so badly. Please tell me Pit is going to be okay! I don't want it to die!"

"It should be fine," the nurse mumbled, anxiously as her Chansey took the fallen Pidgey away, placing it on a stretcher as they brought it into the emergency ward.

"So you used a Pidgey against which Pokemon exactly?" Tony asked, curiously, to the boy.

"A Raichu."

"What made you think you could win, anyway?"

"That's enough sir!" the nurse shouted, handing Tony his Pokeballs, "Can't you see how painful a subject it is for that child."

"Pokemon is serious business," Tony replied, "But don't worry, kid! I'll make sure to beat that stupid Lt. Surge at his own game, or my name isn't Tony, the Greatest Trainer Ever to Set Foot on God's Green Earth!"

"Quite a long title," the nurse replied, flatly.

"Remember it: it'll be a name you hear throughout the entire country, a name that shall echo throughout every home, building, city, and even universe!"

"Alright, mister, I'm going to have to ask you to leave right now. Good luck with Surge, and may God pray he knocks some humility into you."

"Just point me in the right direction, and I'll go…to Surge!" Tony shouted, punching the air, a broad grin on his lips.

"Take a left three buildings down, then a right four more down, and it'll be the last building on the left. I recommend you set out on a run before he closes the gym."

"Wait, CLOSES!?" Tony darted out of the Center, buckling the Pokeballs against his coat's buttons as he ran down the correct path, almost missing each of his turns and needing to do a double take before he finally arrived at the gym, a rather curvy woman with mahogany hair standing at the doorway, turning the "Open" sign to "Closed."

"Wait a damn second!" Tony shouted, attracting the tan girl's attention. She turned around, her rounded face rather cute if Tony did say so himself. Sure, she was a little bottom heavy with a rather plump rear end, but her slender waist and rather prominent upper half more than made up for that. Tony felt his stomach flutter for a moment as the girl, raising an eyebrow in confusion, ran a hand through her thick yellow locks.

"I'm sorry, but it's 5 at night. Lt. Surge likes to train his Pokemon around this time until night. You're going to need to wait until tomorrow to have your ass handed to you," the girl replied, her lip curled in an amused sneer as Tony collided headlong into the glass doors.

"Wait! I traveled here from the Diglet Cave just to get this? I'm facing Lt. Surge right here and now, so help me God!"

"I'm sorry, but rules are rules, and seeing as how Lt. Surge was once in the army, he's a very regimented sort of man. You're going to need to wait."

"Maybe a beautiful little cutie such as yourself would let me in. I don't know if you know who I am, but I'm Tony, the Greatest—"

"Look, I'll tell you what," the girl replied, a crafty little grin on her lips, "If you beat me in a battle, I'll let you in. Sound fair enough?"

Tony laughed, "Alright. I have no problem with that. So what's the name of the cutie who I'm going to beat?"

"I don't know anyone who fits that description, but my name is Cassidy," the girl replied, a smile on her lips.

"Cassidy, huh? Cute name."

Rather than respond, Cassidy unlocked the ball in her hand, releasing a great monstrous hulking yellow creature, covered in fur from head to toe as it flexed its muscles, roaring at the top of its lungs. "Electabuzz!"

"One on one sound good?" Cassidy replied, amused.

"Of course." Tony tapped the Pokeball containing Mr. Mime and, in a flash of light, the Psychic appeared before him, his hands spread out before him, a grin on his lips.

"Mime!"

"Alright, use Barrier!" laughed Tony. The psychic pokemon spread its fingers out before it, stroking the thin air. As they spoke, an invisible, impenetrable barrier was being created, a wall separating the hulking yellow fiend and the elegant Mime. Tony's lips curled into a sneer as excitement, overwhelming joy, enveloped him. Cassidy and Electabuzz, however, looked less than impressed.

"Oh, you can't be serious," sighed Cassidy, "Thunder Punch." The yellow beast lunged forward, his fist sparkling with yellow, as it slammed its fist through the barrier, into Mr. Mime's face, throwing him into Tony, knocking the two of them over onto the floor. Sparks of electricity surged through the psychic clown and into Tony, enveloping them both, paralyzing the two of them. Cassidy recalled Electabuz as she mumbled, "Come back tomorrow morning, although I doubt you'd be able to do much against Surge if you couldn't even beat me. But please, come. I love watching idiots being beaten."


End file.
